University College London Refurbishment Project – GCL Case Study

A Smart, Safe ICT Upgrade for One of the World’s Top Universities

University College London (UCL), located in the heart of London, needed to convert a former warehouse into a modern, connected facility. The refurbished building would serve around 750 users, all of whom required wired VoIP and Wi-Fi connectivity linked to UCL’s existing campus network.

The new space would house flexible teaching areas, office space, catering facilities, and storage—so a resilient, future-ready ICT system was essential.

Project Requirements - University College London

UCL set strict priorities for safety, timing, and performance. GCL’s brief included:

Completing all work during the university holiday period
Surveying existing ICT infrastructure across multiple campus buildings
Meeting modern safety standards with energy-efficient systems
Designing and installing reliable, cost-effective Wi-Fi and cabling solutions

Project Challenges

GCL encountered several constraints, such as:

Tight deadlines — all works had to finish before the new term began
The original warehouse had no ICT provisions at all
Integration with University College London’s existing campus backbone required careful planning
Multiple buildings had to be connected to the central network
Limited space meant materials had to be delivered with military-level precision
The main contractor flagged major Health & Safety risks
Many installations were at height, requiring specialist working practices

GCL’s Solution

To tackle the risks and tight timeline, GCL:

Assigned a PRINCE2-qualified project manager to coordinate the entire process
Conducted a full risk assessment and secured permits before work began
Maintained constant communication with the client and all contractors

Installation included:

Linking MER via fibre to the BT distribution cabinet in an adjacent building
Installing dedicated SER cabinets with horizontal cabling across floors
Mounting galvanised cable baskets at high level, with DADO trunking at desk level

Each step was delivered with care to avoid delays and ensure long-term performance.

Benefits for University College London

UCL benefitted from:

A modern, efficient cabling solution meeting all IT and safety requirements
Seamless connectivity between PCs, printers, and VoIP systems using copper and fibre
Delivery on time and within budget
Peace of mind knowing that all safety standards were met
Smooth collaboration between GCL, University College London’s IT team, and contractors

Because of GCL’s reputation for reliability in complex ICT environments, they were the obvious choice for this university project.

Learn more about UCL and its facilities

"GCL were selected after a competitive tender process. They were instrumental throughout the project and very accommodating in providing us with daily progress reports and advice on some of the issues we had due to building constraints. Their project manager was excellent throughout the design and installation and we could not have asked for anyone better to have on board."

Nigel Hayward

Infrastructure Services Manager, Technology Services, University College London